Now that you've made your own tortillas, pico de gallo, and guacamole in Part I, you are ready for some more vegan variations on the traditional Tex-Mex menu.
Twice-cooked beans, more commonly known as "refried," are exceedingly simple to make and exponentially better than their canned equivalent. Like tortillas, they are traditionally made with pork lard; also like tortillas, they can be easily made vegan by substituting canola or safflower oil.
Twice-Cooked (Refried) Beans
- 3-4 cups cooked, drained red or brown beans Pintos and kidneys are the most common and traditional; use one or the other, or a combination of both.
- 1 cup onion
- 1/4 cup canola or safflower oil
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Chili powder or red pepper flakes, to taste
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until it is golden-brown.
- Add the cumin and cook for about a minute more.
- Gradually add the beans.
- Mash the beans with a potato masher or a large fork as they cook.
- Season with the salt, black pepper, and chili powder or flakes.
Though these refried beans are tasty if you use canned beans, they reach a whole new level of flavor if you use dried or (even better) fresh beans. Simply cook your beans in water or vegetable broth over a low heat for several hours until they are tender and then use them as you would canned beans.
Arroz a la Mexicana
- 1 and 1/2 cups long-grain rice
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup cored, skinned, seeded, chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup white onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 and 1/2 cups hot water
- 3 and 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- Peas, corn, and zucchini to taste
- Puree the tomatoes, onion, and garlic together in a blender and set aside.
- Cover the rice with the hot water and let it stand for about 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil over medium heat.
- Drain the rice and add to the oil until it is coated and golden-brown.
- Stir in the tomato puree until it has been absorbed
- Gradually add the vegetable stock until it too has been absorbed and the rice is cooked to your liking.
- Add peas, corn, chopped zucchini, or any other similar vegetable that strikes your fancy.
Vegan "Cheese"
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup raw chopped cashews
- About four ounces (one jar) drained pimentos
- 1cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt, black pepper, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder, to taste
- Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Whisk over medium heat for about five minutes, until it's thickened.
Vegan "Sour Cream"
- 1/2 lb soft or silken tofu
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tsp brown rice vinegar
- Salt to taste
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
This dish is also wonderful with chili peppers or shallots blended in.
The Unlimited Alternatives of the Vegan Diet
The recipes listed above and in Part I of How to Make a Vegan Tex-Mex Feast are just the beginning. Any recipe you already use, or any new one you find, can be made vegan with just a few simple substitutions such as the ones discussed here, and they're sure to be a hit at your own dinner table.
